How does Clinton Anderson approach teaching the first flying lead change?

Clinton Anderson's approach to teaching the first flying lead change uses the figure eight exercise as the primary training tool because it provides a natural moment — the crossing of the center of the figure eight — where the horse's body naturally wants to change leads as the direction of travel changes. Before the flying change is asked, Anderson confirms that the horse is loping correct, balanced circles on both leads and that its lead departures from the trot are immediate and correct. He also confirms that the horse will maintain its lead through the corner and center of the figure eight without swapping spontaneously — a horse that swaps without being asked needs more balance work before the deliberate change is trained. In the figure eight, Anderson positions the change request at the crossing point. As the horse crosses the center and the direction changes, he shifts his weight to the new direction, changes his leg position — new inside leg slightly forward at the cinch, new outside leg slightly behind — and uses a subtle opening rein to indicate the new direction. The request is timed so that it reaches the horse in the stride before the moment of suspension, giving the horse time to process the request and execute the change in the suspension phase. For the first several changes, Anderson accepts a late change — a horse that changes the front feet in one stride and the hind feet in the next — rather than demanding a clean simultaneous change. He teaches that demanding a perfect change immediately when the horse is first learning the concept often produces tension and resistance that makes true simultaneous changes harder to develop. A late change that the horse attempts willingly is a better foundation for the clean change than a forced change attempted before the horse understands what is being asked.